Last Modified: Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 9:01 p.m.

It was the most sought-after weapon in the Houma-Thibodaux area during the Christmas season, according to local gun dealers.

It also has the distinction of being the weapon used to killed six adults and 20 children at a school in Newtown, Conn., earlier this month.

That event sparked new calls for regulation of such weapons that can rapidly fire high-caliber rounds from a magazine containing dozens of shots.

It also sparked a frenzy among local gun owners to get their hands on the gun before any discussed ban is implemented.

"We've had more business than we can handle," Calvin Prevost, owner of Houma Auto Parts, a popular gun shop in Houma, said leading up to Christmas. "People are afraid that there will soon be two classes of people that have these guns — the criminals and law enforcement."

The National Rifle Association has estimated Americans own more than 2 million AR-15s.

The AR-15 was highly sought after before and after the renewed talk of stricter gun regulations, said Hugh Eymard, owner of Eymard Guns in Galliano.

"People really like ARs," Eymard said. "Our distributor has even sold out."

Another reason the guns are popular is that they are highly customizeable unlike your grandfather's wood-stock rifle, he said.

Companies manufacture collapsible stocks, laser sights, various scopes and other augments for the weapon. Companies also manufacture various magazines that can hold five, 30 or even 100 rounds in what are called drum magazines.

"I would say people spend about $1,000 on the gun," Eymard said. "They spend another $1,000 personalizing it."

Eymard said the weapon is the civilian version of the military's M-16, though it is not fully automatic — those guns are illegal to manufacture. He said he doubts many people use the weapon for hunting, though some do.

"They use them for target shooting and protection mostly," Eymard said.

Gun control advocates said they have trouble seeing why people would need to protect themselves with a rifle that can spray out more than 30 rounds as fast as one can pull the trigger without reloading.

"I can't accept that you need it for protection unless you live in a war zone, and last time I checked, there are (not) many of those in America," Addie Gibbons said on Facebook. Gibbons noted she understands owning one for hunting or competition.

The gun was also used in another high-profile massacre this year when a Colorado man killed 12 people and injured dozens in a movie theater.

Gun violence isn't restricted to the rifle though. In 2011, 72 percent of all homicides in the United States involved pistols.

Rickie Pellegrin, owner of Southern Shooting Center in Thibodaux, argues concerns about the gun are misdirected and should be aimed at deficient mental-health services.

"We have lawyers, doctors, professors, all types that shoot ARs here," Pellegrin said. "The gun isn't the problem. There is just not enough focus on mental health for people that do these things."

Pellegrin said the people he sees with the weapon have grown up shooting and know how to do so responsibly. Imposing restrictions on such weapons would be unfair to them, and criminals would still find guns, he argued.

Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter said his office's arsenal includes the AR-15, which is used largely for tactical situations with the SWAT team.

Larpenter said he is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment but wouldn't be peeved if there were some "reasonable" regulation put in place.

"In my opinion, we don't need the average Joe Blow out there with a 30- or 60-round banana clip," Larpenter said.

One of the biggest problems with gun ownership in this area is irresponsibility in storing the weapons, he said.

"The problem that you have is people do not have safes, and they leave them at their camps," Larpenter said. "Guns are stolen from camps all the time, and they go into the hands of criminals."

Larpenter said he doesn't personally own an AR-15, noting he prefers more-traditional hunting weapons.

<p>It's sold in many colors. </p><p>Its owners sometimes spend thousands customizing it.</p><p>It's highly popular but also very dangerous. </p><p>This isn't a car. It's the extremely popular and deadly AR-15 rifle. </p><p>It was the most sought-after weapon in the Houma-Thibodaux area during the Christmas season, according to local gun dealers. </p><p>It also has the distinction of being the weapon used to killed six adults and 20 children at a school in Newtown, Conn., earlier this month. </p><p>That event sparked new calls for regulation of such weapons that can rapidly fire high-caliber rounds from a magazine containing dozens of shots. </p><p>It also sparked a frenzy among local gun owners to get their hands on the gun before any discussed ban is implemented.</p><p>"We've had more business than we can handle," Calvin Prevost, owner of Houma Auto Parts, a popular gun shop in Houma, said leading up to Christmas. "People are afraid that there will soon be two classes of people that have these guns — the criminals and law enforcement." </p><p>The National Rifle Association has estimated Americans own more than 2 million AR-15s. </p><p>The AR-15 was highly sought after before and after the renewed talk of stricter gun regulations, said Hugh Eymard, owner of Eymard Guns in Galliano. </p><p>"People really like ARs," Eymard said. "Our distributor has even sold out." </p><p>Another reason the guns are popular is that they are highly customizeable unlike your grandfather's wood-stock rifle, he said. </p><p>Companies manufacture collapsible stocks, laser sights, various scopes and other augments for the weapon. Companies also manufacture various magazines that can hold five, 30 or even 100 rounds in what are called drum magazines. </p><p>"I would say people spend about $1,000 on the gun," Eymard said. "They spend another $1,000 personalizing it."</p><p>Eymard said the weapon is the civilian version of the military's M-16, though it is not fully automatic — those guns are illegal to manufacture. He said he doubts many people use the weapon for hunting, though some do.</p><p>"They use them for target shooting and protection mostly," Eymard said. </p><p>Gun control advocates said they have trouble seeing why people would need to protect themselves with a rifle that can spray out more than 30 rounds as fast as one can pull the trigger without reloading.</p><p>"I can't accept that you need it for protection unless you live in a war zone, and last time I checked, there are (not) many of those in America," Addie Gibbons said on Facebook. Gibbons noted she understands owning one for hunting or competition. </p><p>The gun was also used in another high-profile massacre this year when a Colorado man killed 12 people and injured dozens in a movie theater. </p><p>Gun violence isn't restricted to the rifle though. In 2011, 72 percent of all homicides in the United States involved pistols. </p><p>Rickie Pellegrin, owner of Southern Shooting Center in Thibodaux, argues concerns about the gun are misdirected and should be aimed at deficient mental-health services. </p><p>"We have lawyers, doctors, professors, all types that shoot ARs here," Pellegrin said. "The gun isn't the problem. There is just not enough focus on mental health for people that do these things."</p><p>Pellegrin said the people he sees with the weapon have grown up shooting and know how to do so responsibly. Imposing restrictions on such weapons would be unfair to them, and criminals would still find guns, he argued. </p><p>Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter said his office's arsenal includes the AR-15, which is used largely for tactical situations with the SWAT team.</p><p>Larpenter said he is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment but wouldn't be peeved if there were some "reasonable" regulation put in place. </p><p>"In my opinion, we don't need the average Joe Blow out there with a 30- or 60-round banana clip," Larpenter said. </p><p>One of the biggest problems with gun ownership in this area is irresponsibility in storing the weapons, he said.</p><p>"The problem that you have is people do not have safes, and they leave them at their camps," Larpenter said. "Guns are stolen from camps all the time, and they go into the hands of criminals."</p><p>Larpenter said he doesn't personally own an AR-15, noting he prefers more-traditional hunting weapons.</p>